Soccer: Sheffield United step closer to promotion

Sheffield United boosted their hopes of automatic promotion with a 2-1 win over English first division soccer leaders Portsmouth today.

Midfielder Michael Brown swept in the winner four minutes from fulltime for the visitors, who had been pegged back by a 78th-minute equaliser from Gary O'Neil after taking a first-half lead.

Portsmouth, who suffered only their third league defeat of the season, lead the standings with 59 points from 28 games. Leicester City are second with 55 from 27 and Sheffield United third with 49 from 26.